After months of difficult negotiations, the Netherlands will get a new centre-left government. Former Prime Minister Balkenende has reached a coalition agreement with the social-democrats of opposition leader Bos and a smaller religious party, the Christian Union.

According to Dutch newspaper NRC, the new government will spend more than 850 million euros for environment and clean energy. It will also introduce a new ecotax on airplane tickets and implement a strong energy efficiency plan which should lead to 2% energy savings per year.